JP2015523271A - Aircraft seat inflatable shoulder harness assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Shoulder belt (28), winder (38), airbag (32) contained within outer cover (34), and inflatable airbag (32) when shoulder belt (28) is wound up And an inflatable shoulder harness assembly (20) of an aircraft seat (22) including a belt guide (40) slidably receiving an outer cover (34), wherein the belt guide (40) An elongated channel is defined to facilitate free movement of the outer cover (34) during tightening and winding. The assembly further includes an exit bezel (44) for finishing the exterior of the seat and stiffening elements for preventing twisting, entanglement and twisting of the outer cover. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates generally to the field of occupant restraints for seats such as aircraft seats, and more specifically configured to induce free movement of restraint airbag portions during tightening and winding. The present invention relates to an inflatable shoulder harness assembly including a belt guide.

  Aircraft passenger seats such as sideways and chaise longues may include shoulder harnesses to limit the amount of head and torso movement. For example, a shoulder harness can be pulled over the shoulder and on the chest to reduce occupant movement, better protect the neck and help prevent head collisions with adjacent borders or equipment. It can be handed over and installed.

  Recently, in order to improve the performance of such restraints, airbag technology has been applied to passenger restraints for automobiles. However, conventional automotive restraints are typically wound on inertia reels, for example in B-pillars, close to or adjacent to the seat side. In an aircraft, it may not be possible to house the restraint in a structure adjacent to the seat due to the absence of such a structure in certain seating devices.

  For aviation seats, there is a need for an inflatable restraint configured to attach to the seat itself. There is also a need for an inflatable shoulder harness that is configured to be free to move during belt tightening and winding. There is also a need for an inflatable shoulder harness that is incorporated into the seat to provide aesthetic storage, a common solution for luxuriously finished seats and chaise longues.

  In one aspect, an inflatable shoulder harness assembly for use in a seat, such as an aircraft seat, is provided herein.

  In another aspect, the seat is a sideways aircraft seat or chaise longue.

  In another aspect, the inflatable shoulder harness is attached to the seat itself, eg, inside the seat frame portion, and is hidden from view below the seat surface.

  In another aspect, the inflatable shoulder harness includes a guiding structure configured to guide free movement of the airbag portion during belt tightening and winding.

  In another aspect, the inflatable shoulder harness can be attached to the knee belt tongue.

  In another aspect, the inflatable shoulder harness may be a component of a three-point seat belt.

  In another aspect, the inflatable shoulder harness may have its own tongue and buckle apart from that of the lap belt.

  In another aspect, the inflatable shoulder harness may be crossed diagonally over the passenger's shoulder and fastened with a buckle around the passenger's knee.

  In another aspect, the free end of the shoulder harness may extend through a bezel that is aligned with the top of the seat cushion.

  In another aspect, the winding device of the assembly is configured to move in and out a length of the shoulder belt that does not include the airbag and the airbag cover.

  In another aspect, the assembly allows the airbag including a portion of the restraint to be stowed inside when not in use, and in use, the smooth sliding motion of the airbag portion during tightening and winding And a belt guide that defines a channel for sliding the airbag to provide protection.

  In another aspect, the shoulder belt has stiffening elements incorporated into the airbag cover to assist in winding by preventing twisting and entanglement of the airbag cover as the cover slides through the exit bezel. Including.

  In order to achieve the foregoing and other aspects and advantages, an inflatable shoulder harness for use in a seat, such as an aircraft passenger seat, provided herein includes, in one embodiment, a passenger torso. A shoulder belt for extending across, a winding device for taking in and out a portion of the length of the shoulder belt, and an inflatable included in an airbag cover attached to the shoulder belt near the free end of the shoulder belt And a belt guide for retracting a portion of the shoulder belt, the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover when the inflatable shoulder harness is not used. It is configured to facilitate free movement of the airbag cover during tightening and winding.

  The assembly may further include an exit bezel that is aligned with the upper portion of the aircraft seat for slidingly receiving the outer cover as the airbag cover is retracted and retracted from the belt guide.

  The assembly further includes a stiffening element that is coextensive with the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover to prevent twisting, shifting, and twisting of the airbag cover as the airbag cover slides through the outlet bezel. It is possible to include.

  The shoulder belt may end with its free end in the buckle or it may be attached to the knee belt of the seat. The shoulder belt is mounted close to the buckle or attachment point and has a bezel closeout for closing the opening through the bezel that is received in the outlet bezel when the airbag cover is fully wound into the belt guide. It is possible that the bezel closeout further restricts the winding of the shoulder belt.

  The assembly may further include a fill tube for supplying inflation gas to the inflatable airbag in fluid communication with the inflatable airbag.

  In another embodiment, an aircraft passenger seat provided herein includes a seat back and an inflatable shoulder harness assembly associated with the seat back and extends across the passenger torso A shoulder belt, a winding device for taking in and out a portion of the length of the shoulder belt, an inflatable airbag contained in an airbag cover attached to the shoulder belt near the free end of the shoulder belt, A belt guide that is separate from the winding device and defines a channel for retracting the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover when the inflatable shoulder harness is not used, the belt guide comprising: It is configured to facilitate free movement of the airbag cover during tightening and winding of the shoulder belt.

  The inflatable shoulder harness assembly further includes an exit bezel that is aligned with the top of the seat back for slidingly receiving the outer cover as the airbag cover is retracted and retracted from the belt guide. It is possible to include.

  The inflatable shoulder harness assembly is also coextensive with the inflatable airbag and airbag cover, preventing the outer cover from being twisted and offset as the outer cover slides on the outlet bezel and belt guide Stiffening elements can be included.

  The belt guide can be aligned along the back and bottom of the seat, such as under the seat that is hidden from view.

  The following detailed description sets forth additional features, aspects and advantages of the present invention, some of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or as described herein. Will be recognized by those skilled in the art. Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present various embodiments of the invention and provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and nature of the invention as recited in the claims. It should be understood that it is intended to provide The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

  These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description of the invention is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a rear view of a pair of exemplary passenger seats each including an inflatable shoulder harness according to the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a detail view showing a portion of the belt guide and filling tube of the assembly.

Fig. 4 shows the alignment of the belt guide, filling tube and outlet bezel on the seat.

Shows bend of belt guide along seat back and bottom.

2 shows a two-part structure of an outlet bezel.

Fig. 4 shows an assembled bezel outlet bezel.

Figure 5 shows the alignment of the stiffening element between the airbag cover and the restraint webbing.

Fig. 4 illustrates a bezel closeout being received within an exit bezel.

Figure 3 shows a shoulder belt being wound through an exit bezel.

Fig. 5 shows an airbag cover being pulled through the outlet bezel.

  The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and therefore should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. The exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure is thorough and complete, and thus fully conveys the scope of the invention and allows one of ordinary skill in the art to make, use, and practice the invention. Provided to enable. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the various figures.

  Referring now to the drawings, an inflatable shoulder harness assembly associated with a seat, such as an aircraft passenger seat, is indicated generally by the reference numeral 20. An exemplary aircraft passenger seat, such as the seat generally indicated by reference numeral 22, may be a sideways seat, a chaise longue, or other seat type in which a shoulder harness according to the present invention is useful. As shown in FIG. 1, the seat 22 includes, among other components, a seat back 24 and a seat bottom 26, and one in a row of seats or in any other seat arrangement. It may be arranged as one seat. The structure of the seat frame is not critical since the assembly 20 can be supported therein by various seat frame structures.

  The inflatable shoulder harness assembly 20 includes a shoulder belt portion 28 that extends diagonally from the shoulder to the waist over the upper body of the seat occupant. The shoulder belt 28 has a predetermined length and terminates at its free end in a buckle 30 that releasably latches in a receptacle secured around the waist of the seat occupant as is known to those skilled in the art. May be. The shoulder belt 28 can also be attached to a conventional knee belt by other means to form a three-point seat belt. Other seat belt structures and anchor points may be used with the assembly 20 disclosed herein.

  Shoulder belt 28 includes an inflatable airbag 32 that is configured to inflate with inflation gas as a result of an operating factor, eg, an impact. The inflatable airbag 32 can have any length coextensive with the shoulder belt 28, but preferably has a length sufficient to protect the torso, neck and head of the seat occupant. The airbag 32 is covered with an airbag cover 34 along its length. The airbag cover can be sewn or otherwise attached to the web of shoulder belt 28. The airbag cover 34 may be attached to the shoulder belt 28 near the buckle 30.

  Since the air bag 32 and the air bag cover 34 are flexible and tend to be entangled and twisted particularly during winding, as will be described later, the air bag 32 and the air bag cover 34 are coextensive with the outlet bezel and the belt. A stiffening element 36 for smooth movement into and out of the guide is aligned. The stiffening element 36 can bend as it slides through the exit bezel, but its entirety is preferably flexible in its longitudinal axis so that it does not become entangled, twisted, twisted or bent. The stiffening element 36 may be glued to the airbag cover 34 and attached in other ways, such as attached to the underside of the shoulder belt 28 located on the side of the airbag 32 adjacent to the seat occupant. Also good. The function of the stiffening element 36 is to assist the winding process by preventing the air bag cover 34 from being twisted and offset by the loose air bag cover 34 as it is retracted into the outlet bezel. This also provides a means to prevent twisting of the airbag 32 to ensure proper attachment of the buckle 30 to the receptacle.

  The inflatable shoulder harness assembly 20 further includes a conventional take-up that includes an inertia reel for moving in and out of the length of the shoulder belt 28 that does not include the inflatable airbag 32 and the airbag cover 34. A device 38 is included. Therefore, the winding device 38 takes in and out the length of the shoulder belt 28 on the upstream side of the airbag 32 with respect to the buckle 30. Referring to FIG. 4, the take-up device 38 may be aligned below the seat bottom 26 and in front of the bottom end of the belt guide, as described below, or attached to a vehicle, such as an aircraft floor. May be. The winding device 38 is preferably hidden from view from above for aesthetic reasons.

  The inflatable shoulder harness assembly 20 further includes a belt guide 40 for inducing free movement of the shoulder belt 28, the airbag 32 and the airbag cover 34 during winding and removal. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the belt guide 40 may be aligned along the rear and bottom contours of the seat 22. The belt guide 40 can have a length that generally corresponds to the length of the outer cover 34. The outer cover segment of the restraint is housed in the belt guide 40 when the restraint is not in use and slides relative to the belt guide 40 during winding and unloading. Therefore, the belt guide 40 can also be referred to as an “airbag slide”.

  The belt guide 40 defines an elongated channel 42 through which the airbag cover 34 slides. The channel 42 includes an elongated flat main portion from which at least one flange 43 extends outwardly away from the seating surface. The shoulder belt 28 is held, aligned and mounted by a flange during use and storage. The belt guide 40 separates the shoulder belt 28 from entanglement with the wire or other seat components during winding and removal. The belt guide 40 can be attached to the seat frame and may have both a generally vertical part and a horizontal part along its contour, and the gentle curve therebetween is The smooth sliding movement of the airbag cover 34 is promoted. The belt guide 40 may be mounted inside the seat frame and hidden from view under the seat skin. The belt guide 40 and stiffening element 36 and other assembly components may be constructed of thermoplastic acrylic polyvinyl chloride or similar low friction materials commonly used in aircraft interiors.

  In addition to finishing the appearance of the seat 22, in order to provide an exit point from the seat cushion of the airbag cover 34, the outlet bezel 44 is located near the top of the seat where the airbag cover 34 exits the belt guide 40 and the seat cushion. Aligned. The exit bezel 44 may be attached directly to the top end of the belt guide 40 or may be attached to other seat structures that are aligned near the exit of the belt guide 40. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the outlet bezel 44 can be composed of two components, the first component 46 being attached to the top of the belt guide 40 or the top of the seat structure. And an opening large enough to allow the air bag cover 34 to pass when the air bag cover 34 slides in and out of the exit bezel 44, and the second component 48 is for finishing the appearance of the seat It is a finished part that is mounted on the first component 46. The second component 48 also has a through opening large enough to allow the airbag cover 34 to pass therethrough. The first and second components 46, 48 may be secured together or integrally formed. The appearance of the exit bezel may be customized so that the appearance of the seat is finished to a luxurious seat finish.

  The belt guide 40 may further assist in alignment of the fill tube 50 for supplying inflation gas to the inflatable airbag 32. The filling tube 50 may be attached to one or both of the inflatable airbag 32 and the airbag cover 34. Fill tube 50 is in fluid communication with the gas supply device.

  With reference to FIGS. 8-9, the assembly may include a bezel closeout 52 that attaches directly to the shoulder belt web near the free end of the shoulder belt, ie, near the buckle 30. In the particular construction shown, the bezel closeout 52 has a clamshell construction and closes the mouth around the shoulder belt 28. The bezel closeout 52 not only closes the through opening of the exit bezel 44 when the shoulder belt 28 is fully wound, but also prevents the shoulder belt from “falling back” of the seat. It also functions to limit the inward winding. Referring to FIG. 8, by leaving a portion of the shoulder belt 28 and the buckle 30 outside the seat cushion in the fully retracted position, the seat occupant can grasp and pull the shoulder belt in use. If necessary, the bezel closeout 52 can be turned sideways when pulled from the exit bezel 44.

  In practice, the seat occupant grabs the free end of the shoulder belt and pulls the assembly, which freely slides within the belt guide 40 and exits the exit bezel 44. The stiffening element 36 aligned under the airbag cover 34 slides smoothly through the outlet bezel 44. The shoulder belt 28 is pulled from the belt guide 40 for a length sufficient to allow the buckle 30 to latch in the anchor around the seat occupant's waist. Upon unmounting, the buckle 30 is unlatched by its anchor, and the shoulder belt 28 is free via the outlet bezel 44 with the aid of the stiffening element 36 and by action from the inertia reel of the winding device 38. Rolled up. The shoulder belt 28 is wound up via the exit bezel 44 and the belt guide 40 until the bezel closeout 52 engages the exit bezel 44 and finishes with the appearance of the seat.

  The foregoing description merely provides embodiments of the present invention by way of example. It is envisioned that other embodiments may perform similar functions and / or achieve similar results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention and are therefore intended to be covered by the appended claims.

The inflatable shoulder harness assembly 20 further includes a belt guide 40 for inducing free movement of the shoulder belt 28, the airbag 32 and the airbag cover 34 during winding and removal. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the belt guide 40 may be aligned along the rear and bottom contours of the seat 22. The belt guide 40 can have a length that generally corresponds to the length of the airbag cover 34. The restraint air bag cover segment is housed within the belt guide 40 when the restraint is not in use and slides relative to the belt guide 40 during winding and unloading. Therefore, the belt guide 40 can also be referred to as an “airbag slide”.

Claims (20)

An inflatable shoulder harness assembly for an aircraft seat,
A shoulder belt to extend across the torso of the passenger;
A winding device for taking in and out a part of the length of the shoulder belt;
An inflatable airbag contained within an airbag cover attached to the shoulder belt near a free end of the shoulder belt;
A belt guide that slidably receives the shoulder belt, the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover when the shoulder belt is wound up, and the belt guide is used when the shoulder belt is tightened and wound up. An inflatable shoulder harness assembly defining an elongate channel configured to facilitate free movement of the airbag cover.   For slidably receiving the shoulder belt, inflatable airbag and airbag cover as the shoulder belt is withdrawn from and retracted from the belt guide aligned near the outlet of the belt guide. The shoulder harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising an exit bezel.   And further comprising a stiffening element that is coextensive with the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover to prevent twisting, twisting and shifting of the outer cover when the outer cover slides on the outlet bezel. The shoulder harness assembly according to claim 2.   The shoulder harness assembly according to claim 2, wherein the shoulder belt terminates at a free end within a buckle.   The bezel closeout is further attached to the shoulder belt adjacent to the buckle to limit winding of the shoulder belt, the bezel closeout being configured such that the airbag cover is fully wound into the belt guide. The shoulder harness assembly of claim 4, wherein when taken, the shoulder harness assembly is received within the outlet bezel to close a through opening in the outlet bezel.   The shoulder harness assembly according to claim 2, wherein the belt guide is aligned between the winding device and the outlet bezel, and the airbag cover is not wound on the winding device.   The shoulder harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fill tube for supplying inflation gas to the inflatable airbag aligned adjacent to the belt guide.   The shoulder harness assembly according to claim 1, wherein the belt guide is disposed vertically along a backrest of the aircraft seat.   The shoulder harness assembly according to claim 1, wherein the belt guide is disposed along a back and bottom of the aircraft seat. An aircraft passenger seat,
With the seat back and the bottom of the seat,
An inflatable shoulder harness assembly associated with the seat back and the seat bottom comprising:
i) a shoulder belt for extending across the passenger torso;
ii) a winding device for taking in and out part of the length of the shoulder belt;
iii) an inflatable airbag contained in an airbag cover attached to the shoulder belt near the free end of the shoulder belt;
iv) slidably receiving a portion of the shoulder belt, the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover when the shoulder belt is wound, and when the shoulder belt is used, the shoulder An aircraft passenger seat comprising: an inflatable shoulder harness assembly having a belt, a belt guide defining an elongate channel through which the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover are drawn.   The shoulder belt, the inflatable airbag and the airbag when the shoulder belt is pulled out and wound from the belt guide, aligned near the exit of the belt guide and near the top of the seat back. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, further comprising an exit bezel for slidably receiving the cover.   The bezel closeout is further attached to the shoulder belt adjacent to the buckle to limit winding of the shoulder belt, the bezel closeout being configured such that the airbag cover is fully wound into the belt guide. 12. An aircraft passenger seat according to claim 11, wherein when taken, the seat is received within the exit bezel and closes a through opening in the exit bezel.   A stiffening element that is coextensive with the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover and prevents twisting, twisting and shifting of the airbag cover when the airbag cover slides on the outlet bezel. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 11, further comprising:   The outlet bezel is aligned near one end of the belt guide, and the winding device is aligned near the opposite end of the belt guide, and when the shoulder belt is fully wound, The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 11, wherein a shoulder belt, the inflatable airbag and the airbag cover are housed in the belt guide.   The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, wherein the shoulder belt terminates at a free end in a buckle.   The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, further comprising a fill tube for supplying inflation gas to the inflatable airbag disposed adjacent to the belt guide.   The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, wherein the belt guide is disposed substantially vertically along a backrest of the seat.   11. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, wherein the belt guide is aligned between the winding device and the outlet bezel, and the airbag cover is not wound on the winding device.   The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, wherein the belt guide extends along a vertical length of a backrest of the seat.   11. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 10, wherein the belt guide is disposed along a back of the seat back and a bottom bottom of the seat.

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